Yes. A 16-amp Level 2 setting is 3.84 kW at 240 V, half the power of a 32-amp setting, and it typically belongs on a 20-amp circuit because of the 125% continuous-load rule. On a tight 100-amp service that is often the difference between “this fits” and “use load management or upgrade.” The improvement looks modest in an optional-method walk-through and more decisive when you add the charger at full current to 125% of recorded peak.
Same 1,800 ft² all-gas educational example, 4,000 VA cooling, compared at 16 A and 32 A:
| Step (2023-style optional method, educational) | Result |
|---|---|
| General lighting at 3 VA/ft² | 5,400 VA |
| Small-appliance and laundry circuits at 1,500 VA each | 4,500 VA |
| General load including listed nameplates and EVSE | 13,740 VA |
| First 10 kVA at 100%, remainder at 40% | 11,496 VA |
| Larger of the heating or cooling values entered, at 100% | 4,000 VA |
| Calculated load | 15,496 VA · 64.6 A at 240 V |
| Compared with this walk-through’s service rating | 64.6 A is under a 100 A rating by 35.4 A |
Educational walk-through of the optional dwelling-unit method structure in NEC 2023 220.82. Not a permit calculation. 220.82(C) heating/cooling selections can be more involved than “the larger of two numbers,” especially with heat-pump backup strips.
The 16 A walk-through is about 64.6 A; the 32 A version of the same house is about 71.0 A — only about 6 A apart. That small gap is a feature of the optional method: after the first 10 kVA, additional general load (including EVSE) is taken at 40%, so 16 A of charging current becomes only about 6.4 A in the total. A measured-demand check adds the new current at face value: going from 16 A to 32 A raises that total by a full 16 A. If your 12-month peak is already in the 50 A range, that 16 A is often the headroom you actually have.
16 A is still Level 2 (240 V). Using the Alternative Fuels Data Center’s published Level 2 illustration of about 25 miles of range per hour at 6.6 kW (Q2 2024 Station Locator trends report), a 16 A session scales to about 15 miles per hour at the same 264 Wh/mile assumption — enough for many short commutes. Use the calculator and read the miles-per-hour page.
This is not a permit calculation, a utility approval, or a substitute for a licensed electrician, HVAC contractor, or the authority having jurisdiction. Panel Headroom is an independent educational site. It is not a utility, a certification body, or a contractor. Electrical and generator work that is done incorrectly can cause fire, shock, or carbon monoxide poisoning. Use the adopted electrical code and manufacturer instructions; pull permits where required.